post-doctoral fellow

Kassahun Habtamu

Addis Ababa University

Kassahun is a first cohort post-doctoral AMARI fellow from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He obtained a BEd degree in pedagogical sciences from Bahir Dar University before going on to work in Abbyi Addi College of Teachers’ Education for two years. He also has work experience at St. Mary’s University and Addis Ababa University, as well as a Master's degree in Measurement and Evaluation from Addis Ababa University. Kassahun has also obtained his PhD in Mental Health Epidemiology from Addis Ababa University.

Kassahun’s main research interests are clinical, social and economic outcomes of people with severe mental disorders; particularly development, adaptation and psychometric evaluation of measures of social outcomes of people with mental disorders. His post-doctoral research for the AMARI fellowship investigates the long term functional and economic outcomes of people with psychosis in a rural district of Ethiopia. One area of emphasis in his AMARI research project is evaluating the psychometric properties of functioning measures employing advanced models, such as item response theory. He is also interested in development or adaptation and evaluation of psycho-social interventions for improving the functioning of people with mental disorders.

The African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) is part of the Wellcome Trust's programme for Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science (DELTAS) in Africa. AMARI's overall goal is to build an Africa-led network of future leaders in mental, neurological and substance use (MNS) research in Ethiopia, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.